Direct Borrowing
Most book and media items owned by OPAL, OhioLINK, or SearchOhio libraries may be requested online by Heidelberg patrons. Students at other OPAL or OhioLINK member libraries and area patrons with guest cards can also use the direct borrowing feature. Others should contact their local library to request interlibrary loans.
Traditional Interlibrary Loan Service is provided at no charge to current Heidelberg students, faculty, and staff as a resource for acquiring materials that are not in the Beeghly Library Catalog or available from the other OPAL Libraries, OhioLINK Central Catalog, or SearchOhio.
The Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Request Forms, below, are the most efficient way to request books and media, and to request copies of periodical articles.
Books, Dissertations, Media and Government Documents
Book Request Form
Use this form to send for books, media, government documents, dissertations, etc., that are not available through the direct borrowing features of OPAL, OhioLINK, and SearchOhio.
Articles from Magazines and Journals
Periodical Article Request Form
Before placing a request, look for print or online copies of the journal article through our Electronic Journal Finder, the Research Databases, or Citation Finder to find full-text copies of the articles.
To ensure accuracy, copy and paste citation information from electronic references into the online request forms. Please observe all U.S. Copyright guidelines.
Delivery Methods and Returns
- Interlibrary Loan staff will e-mail or phone when materials arrive.
- Articles are usually received electronically and are forwarded to the patron’s e-mail address.
- Interlibrary Loan books and media, as well as OPAL, OhioLINK, and SearchOhio loans, are kept at the Circulation Desk Hold Shelf and should be picked up at the library.
- A wrapper is placed over loaned materials telling the due date. It also indicates any special lending instructions. Keep the wrapper on the item.
- Return books and media to the Circulation Desk by the due date.
- Renewals should be requested several days before the actual due date.
Tips
General Interlibrary Loan Tips:
- Plan ahead. Many traditional interlibrary loan requests require 1-2 weeks to arrive.
- Request books directly from other OPAL,OhioLINK, and SearchOhio libraries online using the barcode number located on your Heidelberg ID. Make sure you include the last character--which is a capital letter.
- Periodical articles cannot be borrowed directly from OPAL or OhioLINK. Order copies of articles through Interlibrary Loan.
- Provide complete citations. This includes complete name of author(s), title of book or article, journal name, publishing information for books, volume number, issue, and page numbers for articles and publication date.
- Contact a reference librarian for help interpreting citations and in using the databases via our librarian IM chat service. library [at] heidelberg.edu (E-mail a reference librarian) or phone (419) 448-2246.